Room check: Four Seasons Hotel, Singapore

Deputy Editor - Business·NZ Herald·

23 Jan, 2015 02:00 AM4 mins to read

The lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel in Singapore. Photo / Supplied

Luxury meets location at Singapore's Four Seasons, as Grant Bradley discovers.

Getting there? The hotel is in Singapore's commercial and shopping heart around the corner from Orchard Rd, the "Golden Mile" and a 25-minute ride from Changi Airport. The hotel had a deal running with a car company where guests could get to and from Changi Airport for $S119 ($115.50) in a luxury Mercedes. The public transport network is extensive, with trains and buses starting at a few dollars.

Check-in? A joy after arriving in the evening - 2am NZT. I had "kerbside check-in," a service usually for regular guests and VIPs. I bypassed the reception desk and was whisked straight up to my room by one of the charming staff who showed me around and signed me in.

What does it cost to stay? The standard 49sq m deluxe room was, in November, going for about $420 a night, including a daily American breakfast. The room I stayed in was around $620 - a splurge but it was a 75sq m executive suite.

My room? A generous lobby, lounge and dining area leading to bedroom next to a full marble bathroom with a very deep bath. It also had a guest powder room. There were two 42-inch TVs. The bed was king-size, there was ample wardrobe space and, like any good hotel for business travellers, it had an iron and ironing board. There was also an umbrella and two bathrobes. The hotel has 255 rooms in total, some of which for families can be linked by connecting doors.

Work space? A large desk, and high-speed internet (CAT6) easy to connect to were part of the room package, which includes two devices. Plenty of cables for older technology and international power plug adapters. An iPhone 4 charger, which was good for me and you can play your own video off your phone and music through dedicated speakers.

Public spaces? This is an easy hotel to navigate without an overpowering labyrinthine lobby. It has very efficient lifts - you're not waiting ages. Owner, Malaysian-born real estate and hotel magnate, Ong Beng Seng, has filled the Four Seasons with 1500 pieces of Asian and international art throughout public spaces and guest rooms.

Food? I only had breakfast in the main restaurant, a cool, relaxed large room. Fairly standard international hotel-style spread but with wonderful fresh local fruit.

The Ambassador Suite at the Four Seasons Hotel in Singapore. Photo / Supplied

Drinks? BYO is the best option if watching the wallet. A 375ml Hennessy XO cognac will set you back $350 plus service and government taxes, which add up to 17 per cent (watch for these in restaurants and bars). If you stick to tea and coffee instant versions are presented delightfully in lacquer box and there's a Nespresso machine. Ingredients for a DIY chocolate martini were set out for me on arrival (a nice complimentary touch), a little indulgent but it seemed like the right thing to do in the circumstances. The hotel's main OneNinety Bar has been stylishly remodelled, specialises in martinis and, according to an ex-pat Brit, is fairly lively.

Recreation? Ample scope here, a 24-hour gym with near-new equipment, a private exercise studio, four tennis courts including two indoor ones that are air conditioned. Two pools, the lower level lap pool has been recently refurbished, perfect temperature (coolish) and a gym attendant who couldn't have been more helpful, rustling up a pair of swimming goggles in a jiffy. There's a rooftop resort-style family pool with a bar that looks as if it would be a fun place to be on a tropical evening. Forest fires in Indonesia cast a thin haze, which is more typical in April, but on a clear day it would be a commanding view.

What's so good? The effortless service, the fact the hotel was full but didn't feel at all crowded, luxurious room without being too over the top.

Not so good? Hard to fault, although the hotel didn't go overboard with a big range of the usual bathroom goodies.